Submersible pump assembly



Dec. 4, 1951 Filed July l, 1948 J. E. ARMSTRONG ETAL SUBMERSIBLE PUMP ASSEMBLY 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTORS JOHN E. ARMSTRONG AFfm/wf JAcuzz/ 49 BY ma, f Zm/ THE/k Ar TORNEI/s Dec- 4, 1951 J. E. ARMSTRONG rErm. 2,577,559

SUBMERSIBL PUMP ASSEMBLY Filed July l, 1948 Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 l 1i!" 77129-2. f

f .a*9\i 85- 64 3H l -I in. 37

l Z5 a3 l l nl l l l 59 INVENTORJ` JOHN E, ARMSTRONG Rif/PANA* JAGUZZ rHE/R ,4r ro IPA/frs Patented Dec. 4, 1951 SUBMERSIBLE PUMP ASSEMBLY John E. Armstrong, El Cerrito, and Frank Jacuzzi,

Berkeley, Calif., assignors to Jacuzzi Bros., 1ncorporated, a corporation of California Application July 1, 1948, Serial No. 36,538

4 Claims. (Cl. 103-87) Our invention relates to pump systems and more particularly to Fubmersible pump installations and the construction and sealing thereof.

Among the objects of our invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved submersible pump installation;

(2) To provide a novel and improved submersible pump installation having means above the ground level for indicating a condition in the pump assembly requiring attention;

(3) To provide a submersible pump assembly having novel and improved oil sealing means for the pump motor associated therein;

(4) To provide a novel and improved submersible pump assembly of rugged and simplified construction;

(5) To provide a novel and improved bearing assembly adaptable for a submersible pump assembly.

Additional objects of our invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a pump system embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view in section through a submersible pump assembly involved in the system of Figure 1.

Submersible pump assemblies are of primary consideration in connection with deep well oper. ation, and while adaptable for the pumping of oil from oil wells, the submersible Dump assembly of the present invention will be described from the viewpoint of its application to a deep well water supply system of the pressure system type, that is, a system incorporating a pressure storage tank supplied from the well and from which the consumer draws water as and when needed.

In a deep well system of this type, the well bore is usually lined with a casing 5 into which is lowered the submersible pump assembly I to a point below water level in the well, the submersible pump assembly being sup/ported preferably from a cover plate 9 at ground level by the discharge line I I leading upward from the pump assembly. The water pumped up through the discharge line may be conducted to a pressure storage tank I3 and from there through a pipe system I5 to the consumers outlets. In a conventional pressure system, operation of the pump assembly is automatically controlled by a pressure switch I6 which is responsive to pressure conditions in the pressure storage tank.

In the specic installation of the present invention, the submersible pump assembly comprises a pump unit I1 driven by an electric motor I9. The pump unit comprises a plurality of series-connected stages 2I clamped between an upper end casting 23, which couples to the discharge line, and a lower casting 25 to which is attached a pump unit end bracket 21. This end bracket tapers downwardly to an outside flange 29 and is provided with a screened opening 30 for the intake of water which is to be pumped up to the surface.

As to details of construction, the pump unit is preferably of the turbine type, each stage including an impeller 3| mounted on a common shaft 33 the upper end of which is journalled in a bearing 35 mounted in a spider 3l cast integrally with and spanning the lower portion of the upper end casting, with the upper end of the bearing sealed by a grease chamber 39 which is closed by a plug 4I.

The lower clamping casting 25 has an integrally cast spider 43 which carries a grease sealed bearing 45 through which the lower end of the pump unit shaft passes.

The motor includes a motor housing 4l closed and sealed at its lower end by an oil sump casting 49. On the inner surface of the housing is supported the motor stator 5U and mounted for rotation within the stator is the motor rotor 5I which includes the motor shaft 53. At its lower end, the motor shaft is carried by a thrust bearing 55 supported in a bearing seat 51 formed in the oil sump casting, and at its upper end the shaft extends into the pump unit bracket where it is coupled to the lower end of the pump unit shaft by a coupling member 59.

The pump bracket extends down into the motor housing where it terminates in a seat for a motor -shaft bearing 60. In this region the housing is formed with an internal flange 6I Bolts B3 passing through the external flange on the pump unit bracket and threadedly engaging this motor housing flange permit of assembling the motor motor housing flange and similar stufling boxesl in a terminal box 61 ailixed in a recess, to the upper casting of the pump unit, where the leads are connected to a terminal block 69. A shield or guard strip 12 ailixed along the pump unit serves to protect these leads against injury particularly as the submersible pump assembly is lowered into the well.

At a location about the motor shaft where it enters into the pump unit bracket, we provide a. rotary seal 68. The pump unit bracket at this point is formed with an inwardly directed flange 10 forming a threaded axial opening to receive a seal housing 1l which is assembled therein from above and is sealed to the iiange by a suitable sealing gasket 13. The lower end of the seal housing is recessed to receive compressible means in the form of a sealing gasket 15 held in position for compression by a iianged collar 11. This sealing gasket is exposed to the compressive force of a compression spring 19 surrounding the motor shaft and acting through suitable sealing 'elements 8|. While the particular type of rotary seal employed is not critical to the present invention, it is rather important that the compressive force against the sealing gasket 15 shall be in an upward direction in the speciiic embodiment of the invention illustrated.

The rotary seal thus seals the water inlet of the pump unit from the motor, and inasmuch as the motor must be protected from moisture, we propose to run the motor in oil and utilize oil pressure to balance any water pressure which may exist at any time at the intake side of the pump unit. In this connection, the lower end of the bracket forms a chamber 83 about the rotary seal, which chamber provides access to the interior of the motor by way oi' the bearing Oil is supplied to the rotary seal chamber and motor by way of an oil line 85 anchored at its lower end to the bracket iiange 30 and connecting with such chamber, while at its upper end, the line terminates at a point above ground level. There it connects with an oil storage receptacle 81 in which is located a iloat control switch 89 whose contacts are in series with contacts of the pressure switch, both switches whenV closed serving to energize the holding coil 9| of a main line switch 93 across one phase of a three-phase power line 95 which supplies power to the submersible pump assembly motor in the well.

Connection from such three-phase source of power supply to the motor is by way of a cable 91 passing down into the well along the discharge pipe Il to which it is clamped, and entering the Aterminal box 69 through a suitable stuffing box IUI. In the terminal box, the wires in the cable are connected to the proper terminals on the terminal block 69.

A iilling of wax or the like in the terminal box serves to protect the connections therein against water or moisture. To protect the motor itself against the effects of water leaking through the rotary seal should such seal begin to go bad, the water pressure on the pump unit side of the seal should be balanced and preferably overhalanced by the pressure of oil on the motor side of the rotary seal. This is realized by the existence of the column of oil in the oil line, and in view of the lower speciiic gravity of oil with respect to water, the height of such oil column should be higher than any water column exertl as to aid the rotary seal spring in applying a compressive force to the sealing washer in the rotary seal. Under these circumstances, should the rotary seal'become decient in its sealing function, the existence of the oil pressure in the region of the seal will inhibit the entrance of any water into the pump motor, though when this happens, loss of oil may be expected with a resultant lowering of the oil level in the oil storage receptacle in which the float controlled switch is located. With such lowering of the oil level, the float controlled switch may be caused to open the holdingr coil circuit and maintain it open so long as the condition exists.

The pressure switch contacts are normally open and close only when the pressure in the pressure storage tank drops to a predetermined permissible minimum value. The main circuit switch which controls the three-phase line to the pump motor is adapted to open when its holding coil is deenergized by the open contacts of either or both the float controlled or pressure switches.

Thus the opening and closing of the power supply line to the pump motor, as controlled by the pressure switch represents a normal operation of the system whereas the opening of the power supply line to the pump motor as caused by an opening of the iioat controlled switch will leave the system permanently disabled, until the situation which caused a drop in the oil level has been remedied. Thus inability of the pump system to ,function normally is an indication of something having gone wrong with the submersible pump assembly down in the well.

A visual indication of this may be realized by installing in the electrical system associated with the float control switch, an indicating device such as a lamp |03. One way to accomplish this would l be to provide the oat controlled switch with a double set of contacts, one set closing when the other set of contacts openings, and including one set of such contacts in a lamp circuity |05 across one phase of the power supply source. Inasmuch as the oil associated contacts will remain closed under normal conditions, that is when the oil level is up to the desired point, the lamp associated contacts will normally -be open under normal oil conditions. Consequently. should the oil level drop sufilciently to change the condition of the contacts of the iloat controlled switch, the lamp circuit will be closed and the lamp-will become energized and thus visually indicate a condition in the submersible pump assembly which requires attention.

yInasmuch as the oil column pressure will under conditions of an oil leak in the submersible pump assembly, keep the water from entering the pump motor over an appreciable period of time until substantially all of the oil leaks out, it will be apparent that the lamp circuit will provide timely notice and thus enable the submersible pump assembly to be removed and serviced before substantial damage tothe pump assembly can develop.

ing static or equivalent static pressure upon the pump unit side of the rotary seal.

The pressure of tlie oil column as it aiects the- In lieu of the lamp circuit to indicate an abnormal condition in connection with the submersible pump assembly, any other type of indicator may be employed whether visual or by sound.

The thrust bearing 55 in which the lower end of the motor shaft rests, comprises a pair of bearings I01 of the ball-bearing type, each including an inner race |09, an outer race III and ballbearing elements H3 therebetween. 'I'here bearrotary seal, will, it is noted, be in such direction.y 1l ings are connected by a bearing retainer H5 coupling the outer race of the upper bearing with the inner race of the lower bearing to form a long life bearing assembly. The motor shaft rests on the inner race of the upper bearing while the outer race of the lower bearing rests in the seat provided in the oil sump casting 49. With a bearing assembly as described, the ball elements will be obliged to carry the load at only half the speed of the motor shaft, thereby cutting the load on each bearing in half and increasing the bearing life accordingly. Should perchance, one of the bearings fail, the other bearing will then carry the full load, which it can well do under the circumstances.

It will be apparent from the above that our invention fulfills all the objects attributable thereto, and while we have disclosed one embodiment of the same in its preferred form, the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles thereof. We, accordingly, do not desire to be limited in our protection to the details illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A submersible pump assembly comprising a pump unit having an upper end casting, a. lowerend pump bracket having an inlet opening therein, and a plurality of pressure stages on a pump unit shaft, a drive motor sealed to the lower end of said pump unit and having a shaft in alignment with said pump unit shaft and coupled thereto, means connecting said motor to an electrical power supply, rotary shaft sealing means Within said pump bracket about said pump unit motor shaft and sealing the interior of said pump unit from said motor, said rotary sealing means including compressible packing means and a spring exerting a compressive force upwardly against said compressible packing means, said pump bracket forming a chamber below said rotary sealing means and adjacent thereto and including a wall opening for communication externally of said chamber, a continuously open oil line connected at one end to said pump bracket at said wall opening and extending upwardly to a point above ground level, an oil storage receptacle, means connecting said oil line in open communication with said oil storage receptacle, and a float-controlled switch associated with said oil storage receptacle and including a float adapted to rest on oil in said receptacle, said float-con trolled switch being responsive to changes in oil level in said receptacle for altering the connection of said motor to said electrical power supply.

2. A submersible pump assembly as in claim 1 wherein the motor is of the three phase type and the means for connecting said motor to said electrical power supply is a main line switch of the normally open type having associated therewith a holding coil for holding said switch closed when said coil is energized, said assembly including a pressure tank having a pipe connection to said pump unit, a pressure switch in pressure communication with said pressure tank, and a control circuit across one phase of the power supply to said motor and including said pressure switch. said main switch holding coil and said iloat-controlled switch. with said pressure switch and floatcontrolled switch in series.

3. A submersible pump assembly as in claim 1 wherein the motor is of the three phase type and the means for connecting said motor to said electrical .power supply is a main line switch of the normally open type having associated therewith a holding coil for holding said switch closed when said coil is energized, said assembly including a pressure tank having a pipe connection to saidV pump unit, a pressure switch in pressure communication with said pressure tank, and a control circuit across one phase of the power supply to said motor and including said pressure switch, main line switch holding coil and said float-controlled switch in series.

4. A submersible pump assembly comprising a pump unit having an upper end casting, a lower end pump bracket having an inlet opening therein, and a plurality of pressure stages on a pump unit shaft, a drive motor sealed to the lower end of said pump unit and having a shaft in alignment with said pump unit shaft and coupled thereto, means connecting said motor to an electrical power supply, rotary shaft sealing means within said pump bracket about said pump unit motor shaft and sealing the interior of said pump unit from said motor, said rotary sealing means including compressible packing means and a spring exerting a compressive force upwardly against said compressible packing means, said pump bracket forming a chamber below said rotary sealing means and adjacent thereto and including a wall opening for communication externally of said chamber, a continuously open oil line connected at one end to said pump bracket at said wall opening and extending upwardly to a point above ground level, an oil storage receptacle, means connecting said oil line in open communication with said oil storage receptacle, and a floatycontrolled switch associated with said oil storage receptacle and including a iioatradapted to rest on oil in said receptacle, said float-controlled vswitch being responsive to changes in oil level in said receptacle for altering the connection of said motor to said electrical power Supply and substantially simultaneously signaling the occurrence of such change.

JOHN E. ARMSTRONG. FRANK JACUZZI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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